CASP1 and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: Since caspase-1 is central to inflammasome activation and pyroptosis [49] whereas caspase-3 mediates apoptotic pathways [50], the concurrent activation of these pathways suggests that both pyroptotic and apoptotic mechanisms contribute to renal injury in obesity, which ultimately exacerbates fibrosis and tissue remodeling.